What Will People Think of Today's TV in 2037? Consider "Alice" in 1977 for Perspective

While doing some random channel surfing a few days ago I stopped for a few minutes of Alice, the Linda Lavin and Vic Tayback vehicle about a hardscrabble yet lovable lout [Mel] who runs his Phoenix diner with the same gruff bravado he used to run his kitchen in the Navy.

I vaguely remember laughing along with the Mel, Alice and Flo hijinks as the show went into syndication in the mid / late 80s. But then I wasn't approaching my youthful TV watching in those days with an especially enlightened or critical mind and, besides, 'times were different'. But, wow, seeing this show in 2007 and realizing it was a big, national hit for 10 years makes you realize just how much times have changed in 30 years. Some of the lines from the episode that I stumbled upon recently, Mel's Cup, were stunningly dated when heard in today's world. For example, when it is realized that the ladies of the diner have misplaced Mel's cherished boxing cup, they express real fear that Mel is going to physically harm them. They were talking matter-of-factly about the chances of Mel putting a real beating on them for this transgression. Whoa. Surely some of the comedy here was exaggeration, yadda yadda yadda, but still, can you imagine that kind of storyline today? Not quite.

Note: clip above is just of the Season 1 intro, as I could not find any clips from the actual "Mel's Cup" episode itself.